Collapsible container



Aug. 9, 1966 H. s. cLoYD COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER .'5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July l0, 1964 INVENTOR www f fw H. S. CLOYD Aug. 9, 1966 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed July l0, 196.4

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

H. s. CLOYD Aug. 9, 1966 COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July l0, 1964 INVENTOR United States Patent O M 3,265,240 CULLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Harold S. Cloyd, Erie, Pa., assigner to Nosco Plastics, Incorporated, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,673 9 Claims. (Cl. 2241-84) This invention is a collapsible container for use in pallet storage and handling of fruit, vegetables and the like having bottom, side and end wal-ls of plastic and a supporting frame of metal tubing, thereby obtaining a longer life than the currently used Wood containers.

In the drawings, FIG. l is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the bottom wall of the container, FIG. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2a is a section on line Ztl- 2a of FIG. 2b, FIG. 2b is a section on line 2b-2b of FIG. 2a, FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. l, FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the container, FIG. 4a is a section on line 4ta-4a of FIG. 4, FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of an end of the container, FIG. 5a is a section on line Sa-Sa of FIG. 5, FIG. 5b is a section on line Eb-Sb of FIG. 5, FIG. 6 is an end eleva-tion of a corner of the container, FIG. 6a is a section on line 6ft- 6a of FIG. 6, FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a corner of the container, FIG. 8 is an end view of a modication having a plastic skid substituted for the wood skid, FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side view of one of the skids, and FIG. l() is a view similar to FIG. 2b of a modication using square tubing.

In a preferred form, the bottom of the container has two longitudinally extending wood skids 1 on which rest a plurality of cross tubes 2 spaced in accordance with the required load carrying capacity. Extending over the skids 1 and cross tubes 2 is a molded plastic bottom wall 3 having flanges 4 overlapping and stapled to the outside of the skids 1 and having integral ribs 5 stapled to the inside of the skids. As shown in FIG. 2, the cross tubes 2 terminate short of the outer edge of the skids 1. The cross tubes extend through ribs 6 on the bottom; wall 3 and the ends of the cross tubes 2 are blocked by walls 7,

at the ends of the ribs 6. The ribs 5 have suitable notches 8 for the cross tubes. When the bottom wall 3 is stapled to the skids with the cross tubes 2 in place, a rigid structural member is obtained in which the load is carried primarily by the skids and tubes and only to a limited extent by the plastic wall 3.

At opposite ends of the cross tubes are longitudinal tubes 9 which extend almost the full length of `the skids l. Side walls 10 extend the full length of the skids and have external loops 11 for vertical tubes 12, the lower ends of which rest on the longitudinal tubes 9. The lower ends of the tubes 12 are received in sockets 13 integral with the bottom wall 3. The side walls have knuckles 14 (FIG. 5b) and the bottom wall has a knuckle 15 integral with each of the sockets 13 providing in conjunction with the longitudinal tubes 9 and Vertical tubes 12 a connection between the side walls and the bottom wall. In assembly, the knuckles 14 of the side walls 10 are inserted through openings 14a in the bottom wall bringing the knuckles 14 into alignment with the knuckles 15. Notches 14h in the side walls clear the knuckles 15 and sockets 13. The tubes 9 are then slid endwise into the knuckles 14, 15, locking the side walls in place. The vertical tubes 12 are then dropped through the loops 11 into the sockets 13.

The end panels 10a are substantially the same as the side panels, diilering primarily in size. FIGS. 5 and 5a show a socket 13 in the bottom wall 3 receiving the lower end of a vertical tube 12 and one of the knuckles 15 on the bottom wall for the cross tube 2. FIGS. 5, 5b and 6 show the knuckles 14 at the lower end of the end wall 113e. The knuckles 14 at the ends of the end wall 10a are open on one side as shown in FIG. 6a while the bal- 3,265,241) Patented August 9, 1966 ICC ance of the knuckles 14 are complete tubes as shown in FIG. 5b. In the side wall 10, all of the knuckles 14 are open on one side as shown in FIG. 4a. In assembly, the knuckles 14 of the end walls 10a are inserted between the knuckles 15 on the bottom wall and the cross tubes 2 are slid endwise through the knuckles.

At the corners, the end and side walls have intertting aligned knuckles 16a, 16h receiving vertical corner tubes 16, the lower ends of which rest on the skids 1. The vertical corner tubes 16 block longitudinal sliding of the tubes 9 and also block crosswise sliding of the cross tubes 2 at the extreme ends of the bottom wall as shown in FIG. 6. The assembly is completed by inserting tubes 17 and 18 in knuckles 17a, 18a at the upper edge of the side and end walls and locking the tubes in place by right angle corner members 19. The tubes 17, 18 are assembled in sequence. The `final tube to be assembled must have provisions for telescoping to permit insertion of the inal corner member 19. After the iinal corner member 19 is in place, the nal tube is extended and pinned in place. At the corners, the knuckles 17a and 18a are preferably open on the outer side so the corner members 19 may be slid axially into position along either tube 17 or 18.

When the assembly is complete, the entire load is carried on the frame consisting of metal tubes 2, 9, 12, 16, 17, 18 and the plastic panels merely servel as curtain walls. The tubes 2 on the bottom wall are assembled as a unit on the skids 1. The other tubes are inserted into the sockets and knuckles during the course of assembly. The container can be shipped knocked down and after use can be dismantled for storage.

In the modication of FIGS. 8 and 9, plastic skids 20 are substituted for the wood skids 1. These plastic skids 20 have a plurality of longitudinal stiffening ribs 21 and also notches 23a for cross tubes 23 and cross ribs 22 underlying the cross tubes 23. The cross tubes 23 correspond to the tubes 2. The bottom Wall 25 which corresponds to the bottom wall 3 ts over the upper edges of the skids 20 and has sockets 26 for the longitudinal tubes 24.

On the under side, the skids 20 have longitudinal grooves 27 and transverse grooves 28 which receive the upper side and end edges of an underlying container when containers are stacked. In other respects, the construction is the same.

Square tubing such as shown at 29 in FIG. l0 may be substituted throughout by making appropriate changes in the knuckles or loops. In FIG. l0, which corresponds to FIG. 2b, the vertical tube 29 ts in a square loop 30 in side wall 31. The square tubing provides better load carrying surfaces.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the depending flanges 25a of the bottom wall telescope over `the upstanding ilanges 20a on the skid, providing a box frame construction. Depending ribs 25h on the under side of the bottom wall straddle the longitudinal tube 24 and hold it in position.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a plastic bottom wall overlying the skids and tubes and fixed to the skids, the bott-om wall and the skids having cooperating formations forming recesses conning the tubes.

2. In a crate, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a bottom wall on the cross tubes and iixed to the skids and having means engaging the cross tubes for holding the cross tubes in place, a longitudinal tube above one of the skids resting on the cross tubes, a side wall, the bottom wall and side wall having 4intertitting knuckles for receiving the longitudinal tube.

3. In a crate, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a bottom wall on the cross tubes and fixed to the skids and having means engaging the cross tubes for holding the cross tubes in place, a longitudinal tube above one of the skids resting on the cross tubes, a side wall, the bottom wall and side wall having intertting knuckles for receiving the longitudinal tube, and end wall, interfitting knuckles on the bottom wall and end wall receiving one of the cross tubes, the end and side walls having interfitting vertical knuckles, a vertical tube received in the vertical knuckles with its lower end in load transmitting relation to one of the skids and having a portion opposite an end of at least one of the cross and longitudinal tubes to block endwise movement thereof.

4. In combination, a plurality of longitudinal skids, each skid being of channel cross section with upstanding longitudinallly extending flanges, a bottom wall overlying the flanges, said bottom wall having depending flanges straddling each of the skids, cross tubes between the bottom wall and the flanges, the flanges and bottom Wall having cooperating formations defining recesses confining the tubes.

5. In combination, a plurality of longitudinal skids, each skid being of channel cross section with upstanding longitudinally extending flanges, notches in the upper edges of the flanges receiving cross tubes, and a bottom wall fixed to the skids and overlying the tubes and the notches in the upper edges of the flanges and cooperating with the notches to hold the cross tubes in place.

6. In a crate, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a bottom wall on the cross tubes and xed to the skids and having means engaging the cross tubes for holding the cross tubes in place, a longitudinal tube above one of the skids resting on the cross tubes, a side wall, the bottom wall and the lower edge of the side wall having interfitting knuckles for receiving the longitudinal tube, the side wall having knuckles at its upper edge for receiving another longitudinal tube, vertical load carrying tubes extending between the longitudinal tubes, and loops in the side walls for holding the vertical tubes.

7. The construction of claim 6 in which the knuckles of the bottom Wall have sockets receiving the lower ends of the vertical tubes.

8. ln a crate, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a bottom Wall fixed to the skids and overlying the cross tubes, a longitudinal tube above one of the skids resting on the cross tubes, a side wall, the bottom wall and side wall having interfitting knuckles for receiving the longitudinal tube, the side wall having knuckles at its upper edge for receiving another longi- Cil tudinal tube, vertical load carrying tubes extending between the longitudinal tubes, and loops in the side walls for holding the vertical tubes, an end wall, the end wall and bottom wall having interftting knuckles receiving one of the cross tubes, the end wall having knuckles at its upper edge receiving a cross tube, vertical tubes extending in load carrying relation between the cross tubes associated with the end wall, the side and end walls having intertting knuckles along a vertical edge, a vertical load carrying tube in said last mentioned knuckles, and a corner means connecting the tubes at the upper edges of the side and end walls.

9. In a crate, a plurality of longitudinal skids, cross tubes resting on the skids, a bottom wall overlying the skids and tubes and fixed to the skids, the bottom wall and the skids having cooperating formations forming recesses confining the tubes, a longitudinal tube above each of the skids resting on the cross tubes, a side wall above and associated with each longitudinal tube, the bottom wall and each side wall having intertting knuckles for receiving the associated longitudinal tube, each side wall having knuckles at its upper edge for receiving another longitudinal tube, vertical load carrying tubes extending between the longitudinal tubes, loops in the side walls for holding the vertical tubes, an end wall at each end of the crate, each end wall and bottom wall having interlitting knuckles receiving one of the cross tubes, each end wall having knuckles at its upper edge receiving a cross tube, vertical tubes extending in load carrying relation between the cross tubes associated with the end wall, the side and end walls having interftting knuckles along the vertical edges forming the corners of the crate, a vertical load carrying tube in said last mentioned knuckles at each corner of the crate, said vertical corner tubes having lower ends resting on the skids and having portions opposite an end of at least one of the cross and longitudinal tubes to block endwise movement thereof, and a corner means connecting the tubes at the upper edges of the side and end walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,373 2/ 1954 Coit 220-84 2,865,499 12/ 1958 Brogren 206-46 2,913,029 11/1959 Paton 150-1 3,000,602 9/ 1961 OBrien 108-53 3,170,415 2/ 1965 Svilokos 108-53 3,187,689 6/1965 Hess 108-58 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL SKIDS, CROSS TUBES RESTING ON THE SKIDS, A PLASTIC BOTTOM WALL OVERLYING THE SKIDS AND TUBES AND FIXED TO THE SKIDS, THE BOTTOM WALL AND THE SKIDS HAVING COOPERATING FORMATIONS FORMING RECESSES CONFINING THE TUBES. 